Forensic review: Vikrant Massey's brilliant portrayal of jaunty forensic scientist is the highlight of this crime caper

Director Vishal Furia ’s _Forensic_ (now available on Zee5) is a Hindi remake of the 2020 Malayalam film of the same name, starring Tovino Thomas and Mamta Mohandas . The Hindi version, based on a script by writers Adhir Bhatt, Ajit Jagtap and Vishal Kapoor, is a fast-paced thriller about a serial killer who targets little girls. The town of Mussoorie is rocked when young girls start going missing on their birthdays and are later found murdered. Radhika Apte plays Megha Sharma, a sub-inspector who is made the lead investigator on the case when a dead girl’s body is found in a garbage dump. Also called in to assist is forensic scientist Johnny Khanna, played by Vikrant Massey . Megha and Johnny must set aside their history – they were previously romantically involved – to solve these crimes. Megha is also guardian to her niece Aanya, who visits a child psychiatrist for therapy related to a family tragedy that also keeps her away from her father Abhay ( Rohit Bose Roy ), who happens to be Johnny’s brother. The family doesn’t seem too involved in Aanya’s mental health else they might have noticed her doctor’s ( Prachi Desai ) methods as being not wholly valuable. Megha follows a few leads, makes some arrests, but the murders continue. Her unhealed wounds make her resistant to Johnny’s scientific findings and clues about the killer. Johnny is meticulous, and there is enough focus on the methodology and technology used to assist in criminal investigations. The first half of the film is crisp with three murders in under 10 minutes, albeit some years apart. There is quick character development and establishing of plot, and the hill town provides the right atmosphere for a murder mystery. As sincere as Megha is, her colleagues are portrayed as ambitious and competitive or buffoons. It’s up to Johnny and Megha to find the killer before another victim falls prey. As the team comes closer to figuring out whodunit, there is a bizarre twist, which knocks the film off track. When the crime is finally solved, it’s fun to see individuals who have serious jobs not taking life seriously all the time. What keeps it from entirely derailing is Massey’s portrayal of a jaunty forensic scientist who enjoys his work. Massey is terrific as the skilled, confident and sensitive Johnny. The pairing with Apte, who walks the line between anguish and duty, works well. The supporting cast includes Ved Prakash Mathur and Vindhu Singh Randhawa as Megha’s colleagues. In spite of the unpersuasive plot, Forensic is involving and worth a watch for world-building and to see Massey’s novel interpretation of his character. Forensic is streaming on Zee5

Udita Jhunjhunwala is a writer, film critic, and festival programmer. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram